LumaPix :: FotoFusion
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Saving your work in FotoFusion
To save a project, either to preserve or to work on at a later date:
| • | Select "Save"  from the Tool Bar, or |
| • | Press Ctrl-S on your keyboard, or |
| • | Go to the top menu, under FILE and select SAVE. |
If you have not already named your collage, you will be asked to name it. You can save your file to any directory on your system.
It will be saved as a .scrap file format, which can only be reopened by FotoFusion Version 4 on a machine activated with your user id.
Choose 'Save As' to save the project under a new name, if, for instance, you were editing a previously-saved project and wish to keep both the original and the new version. Do not use Save As if you are simply overwriting the current file you are working on -- you just need to SAVE (Ctrl-S) it.
(Inexperienced computer-users may wish to read the following chapter to learn about basic Windows file management to understand files, folders and other organization matters.)
Keep in mind that a saved collage is a "composition" and not a regular image file; it is a recipe without original images, used to recreate your layout.
If you want to fully back up your files or transfer them to another machine with source images, you should archive your files.
If you want to share your work with others, you should export to a 'flat file' such as a JPEG image or archive your file for another FotoFusion user..
Extreme users can save multiple pages in a single .scrap file.
You can also choose to 'Save As Template' -- this will prompt FotoFusion to ask if you would like to retain image content in your project or discard it.
| • | If you choose to remove the photos from the canvas, your project will reopen with blank frames. FotoFusion will remove ALL image content, including background images and decorative graphics. |
| • | If you choose not to remove the images, the template will retain all images on the canvas. This is useful if you would like to save a project with decorative images and backgrounds; remove any photos manually before saving. |
FotoFusion allows you to password protect your files, so they cannot be opened or edited by an unauthorized user.
To enable password protection, open your project, and click on the FILE menu items, then choose Project Management > Password protect. Type in a password and password reminder of your choice to turn this feature on, then save the project. When you try to open the project, FotoFusion will prompt for the password.
NOTE TO VERSION 3 USERS: Version 4 allows you to save your files any subdirectory of your choice, and does not use the .collage file extension. Version 3 .collage files will open in Version 4, but Version 4 will not save to this file format type.
NOTE TO VERSION 4 USERS: Files saved as .scrap are now "self-contained."
If you move the .scrap file (without archiving it) from one machine to another, where both machines share a common image database on a network drive and are activated with the same user id, the files will reopen as expected. Similarly, if you need to maintain or replace your computer, the .scrap files can be moved to an external storage device and restored later. You may need to reconnect the canvas images (Tools >> Locate Missing Images) but the composition will remain in tact.
Loading
To load an existing project (meaning one you have already created and saved), pick one of these options:
| • | Click on the Start  button, to view the Start Zone where you can LOAD Existing Projects; OR |
| • | Click on FILE on the menu bar and select OPEN; OR |
| • | Press Ctrl-O on your keyboard |
These three options will launch the OPEN window.
Your computer's file system is located to the left; you can navigate to any subdirectory on your system to locate .scrap or .collage files on your system. The Sort and View options allow you to customize the preview display.
You can also...
| • | Click on FILE on the menu to see a list of recently opened projects; OR |
| • | Click on the  tab, then on the Search tab. |
| • | For projects and pages, change TYPE to "Saved Work" and select "Projects" or "Pages". |
For templates, change SOURCE to "My Database" and then change TYPE to "Templates".
| • | Thumbnails of your projects, pages or templates will appear in the preview window. Double click on your project to launch it. Extreme users can multi-select templates, pages and projects and open/append these one after another. Right-mouse-down on the selected thumbnails to access this option. |
Keep in mind that you cannot reopen a rendered project in FotoFusion. If you have exported your work (ie. it is now a. jpg,. tif, or other format other than .scrap or .collage) without saving it as a .scrap file, you will not be able to reopen it to edit it as the project has been fused into one single image.
Deleting
To delete Version 4 projects...
Click on the button, then open the SEARCH TAB.
| • | Click on the tab, then on the Search tab. |
| • | For projects and pages, change TYPE to "Saved Work" and select "Projects" or "Pages". For templates, change SOURCE to "My Database" and then change TYPE to "Templates". |
| • | Right-mouse-down on the Version 4 project you would like to delete, and select SEND TO RECYCLE BIN. |
This will place your projects into the Windows Recycle Bin. If you made a mistake and need to restore them, you can do so from the Windows Recycling bin itself.
To delete Version 3 projects which have been imported from previous installations,
open Windows Explorer and navigate to the file folder where the .collage file resides
(most likely in C:\My Documents\My Collages or C:\Program Files\LumaPix\FotoFusion\Templates).
Delete the files from this location.
